Template - Date: UNIBET Premier League Goes to MvG

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN retained his Betway Premier League title with a stunning 11-4 win over Michael Smith.

The Dutchman produced a stunning 112.37 average, the highest in this year’s tournament, to win the Premier League crown for a third year in a row. Van Gerwen beat Rob Cross 10-6 in his semi-final earlier in the evening to reach a sixth consecutive final, before clinching the £250,000 first prize – plus a £25,000 league leader’s bonus after topping the regular season’s league table for a sixth straight year.

“I think I played a phenomenal game,” said Van Gerwen, who hit seven 180s in the final. “I know I had a big job to do to win the game but I was focussed on doing something extra – I wanted to break the record average but I fell just short.

“I had to be at my best to beat Michael, he is one of the big boys now. “It means a lot to me to win this tournament, I had to work hard for this over the last 16 weeks and to win it again is amazing.”

Van Gerwen was clinical on the doubles, hitting 11 from 16 attempts, and was on course to average 118 going into the final break. Meanwhile, Smith battled hard to keep himself in the tie, producing stunning finishes of 125 and 104, along with six maximums.

“I want to thank the fans and everyone who supported me,”“Michael was just too good tonight, I tried my best but it just wasn’t enough on the night.

Van Gerwen became the first man through to the final with a comfortable 10-6 win over Cross. The three-time Premier League champion fired in nine 180s as he threw an impressive 103.65 average to win through to his sixth consecutive Premier League final.

Smith claimed the biggest win of his career with an impressive 10-6 triumph over his close friend and mentor Anderson to reach his first senior televised PDC final.

On his debut Play-Offs appearance Smith smashed in eight maximums and two ton-plus checkouts to book his place in the final with Van Gerwen. The St Helens star settled from the start, hitting a 100 finish to hold in the first leg, then doubling his advantage with another 15-dart leg to break the Anderson throw.

The Scot broke straight back to halve the deficit, and then hit back-to-back maximums but missed chances to hold and the Englishman punished to lead 3-1. Anderson clawed his way back into the game, finding tops to break the Smith throw and trail 4-3, before finding tops again to level at 4-4.

An emotional Smith found tops to wrap up the win and set up a final clash with Van Gerwen, ending Anderson’s hopes of a third Premier League crown in the process.

“Michael played a good game tonight and he deserved to win,” admitted Anderson, who qualified for The O2 for a fifth successive year.